Café du Temple

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31 May - 6 June 2013 #658

Review

This restaurant in Patan Durbar Square might be better remembered for its spectacular view than the quality of its food

Someplace Else by Sulaiman Daud

Patan Durbar Square is one of the most interesting places in Lalitpur. It is easy to lose track of time once you are inside this beautiful maze of ancient temples and curio shops. Less crowded and more peaceful than Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, the area is perfect for a weekend outing. Once you have satisfied your thirst for art and history, there are a lot of dining options within the square that will cater to your hungry stomach.

PICS: CINDREY LIU

Everything from local Newari dishes to vegan food, Indian and Western cuisine is up for grabs. Some of the restaurants even have rooftop dining areas that lets you enjoy a magnificent view of the entire square. Café du Temple might have the best view of all, revealing the whole of Patan Durbar Square from its top floor. During the Lalitpur festival, my friends and I had an excellent view of the free concert taking place within the Square from that very spot. Tarps and other shelters keep off the sun and the rain, although it does tend to leak during a particularly heavy downpour.

The restaurant offers a range of Nepali, Indian, and Western dishes, as well as snacks, drinks and desserts. It is a pretty standard fare, with one or two standout selections. The vegetable korma curry (Rs 225) is excellent, not too spicy but rich and tasty. However rice isn’t included and comes as a set dish at Rs 70. We tried the Temple Special Chicken, a grilled thigh covered in a cheesy sauce. The chicken itself was a little dry, but when accompanied with the sauce, no complaints there. The Deep Fried Fish came with chips and a small salad. The special tartar sauce is a winning combination with the juicy, breaded pieces of fish.

To finish our meal we ordered a couple of milkshakes, mango and chocolate (Rs 95) which were quite a disappointment. The perfect milkshake has to hit that sweet spot between a drink and an ice cream, and the ones we had tasted more like juices. It wasn’t ice-cold either.

On the whole, Café du Temple might be better remembered for its spectacular view than the quality of its food. Our meal was fine, but certainly not something to sing about later. However the pictures we took from the rooftop were definitely something we would be showing off to our friends.